Post-Super Bowl Slot For NBC's 'The Voice'

After speculation that NBC’s breakout hit The Voice may land the post-Super Bowl slot in February, NBC made it official today. Given its midseason launch, the singing competition appeared the leading contender for the biggest annual series showcase. Additionally, unscripted series tend to do very well after the Super Bowl as proven by CBS’ Survivor and Undercover Boss. Here is NBC’s release:

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. (May 31, 2011) – NBC will broadcast a special hour-long episode of “The Voice” following the network’s exclusive coverage of Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday, February 5 (10-11 p.m. ET; time approximate). The announcements were made today by Bob Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. “There is no better showcase on television than to follow the Super Bowl, and we believe ‘The Voice’ is deserving of such high-profile exposure,” said Greenblatt. “The attention grabbing blind audition phase of ‘The Voice’ has mass appeal and will fittingly team up with the biggest sporting event of the year.” “The Voice,” featuring musician coaches Christina Aguilera, Cee Lo Green, Adam Levine and Blake Shelton is the 2010-11 season’s #1 new series in adults 18-49 and ranks behind only “American Idol” among all entertainment series on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and CW. To date, “The Voice” is averaging a 5.4 rating, 14 share in adults 18-49 and 12.0 million viewers overall. “The Voice” is a vocal competition series modeled after Holland’s top-rated vocal talent discovery show, “The Voice of Holland.” The series is hosted by Carson Daly and features the musician coaches working through the various phases of the competition with only the most talented vocalists. The show’s second season will air midseason Mondays, 8-10 p.m. ET. “The Voice” is a presentation of Mark Burnett’s One Three Inc., Talpa Content USA, Inc. and Warner Horizon Television. The series is created by John de Mol, who will executive-produce along with Burnett, Audrey Morrissey and Stijn Bakkers.